Wolverhampton Wanderers

Liverpool

Jose Manuel Reina

Sotirios Kyrgiakos

Emiliano Insua

Jamie Carragher

Martin Skrtel

Steven Gerrard

Albert Riera (David N'Gog, 67)

Maximiliano Maxi Rodriguez

Javier Mascherano

Leiva Lucas

Dirk Kuyt

Match Report

Mick McCarthy's tactical switch paid dividends as Wolves picked up a priceless point after a goalless draw against Liverpool in their battle to avoid relegation.
McCarthy abandoned his usual policy of playing with a 4-4-2 formation to include Michael Mancienne as an extra midfielder with Kevin Doyle operating as a lone striker.
It was a move that Liverpool struggled to get to grips with. Wolves dominated the game in terms of chances created and they will ultimately feel they should have won the match.
While they again failed to score for the fourth successive Premier League game, the draw did at least end a run of three successive defeats.
Liverpool took their points tally from their recent run to a healthy 11 from the last 15 but the display will have done nothing to ease the continued scrutiny on manager Rafael Benitez.
They never seriously tested keeper Marcus Hahnemann and, with a little more devilment in front of goal, Wolves would have recorded a famous victory.
Liverpool were boosted by the return skipper Steven Gerrard after he recovered from a hamstring strain but the England midfielder struggled to impose himself on the game.
Benitez's team could easily have been trailing at the interval as Doyle stabbed his 33rd-minute close-range shot just wide after a powerful run down the left wing by Matt Jarvis.
Jarvis was again Liverpool's tormentor ten minutes later with another neat run and cross. This time he picked out Kevin Foley at the far post only for the Republic of Ireland international to see his header saved by Pepe Reina.
Not even a half-time pep talk by Benitez could turn around his team's fortunes as Wolves continued to probe for an opening.
After Maxi Rodriguez had driven wide in the 52nd minute, Wolves took charge with Doyle again to the fore. He fired just over the bar after 57 minutes and then had a header saved by Reina 60 seconds later.
Reina then had to dive bravely at the feet of Foley on the hour as he closed in on goal following a neat flick by Doyle as the elusive goal proved beyond Wolves.

Live Text Commentary

Full time

FULL TIME: WOLVES 0-0 LIVERPOOL. Wolves have avoided a fourth successive defeat and with consumate ease as Liverpool huff and puff but never looked like scoring.

90

Desparation? Yes. Jamie Carragher picks up the ball on the halfway line, takes a couple of touches and shoots from 35 yards but its nowhere near the target.

88

Substitution

A change for Wolves as new signing Adlene Guedioura makes his debut by replacing the impressive Matt Jarvis.

87

Surely somebody is going to have a chance to win the game - but at what end of the pitch I have no idea.

85

Another Liverpool attack breaks down with a careless ball forward, this time its Mascherano and the frustration is there to see for his captain.

83

We are into the final ten minutes and still neither side look like creating that one big chance to take all the points.

79

You have to wonder hy Rafa Benitez has not introduced Aquilani yet or even Ryan Babel for that matter as Maxi Rodriquez has been very ineffective.

75

Liverpool still lacking imagination in attack and they haven't looked like scoring for a long time now. Wolves themselves are struggling to break down the Reds backline.

73

Substitution

Wolves are making a change now as the ineffective Nenad Milijas is replaced by former Man Utd youngster David Jones.

72

Yellow Card

Martin Skrtel picks up the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Christophe Berra.

71

Chance for Doyle now as he swivels on the corner of the penalty area and drives towards the far corner but Reina is able to watch it wide.

70

Since those two chances for Riera earlier in this half Liverpool have really done very little and it is Wolves who have looked the more likely to score.

68

The pace has slowed again now with neither side able to get the ball into a good position to either cross or get a shot on goal.

67

Substitution

A change at last for Liverpool as David Ngog replaces Albert Riera - so Dirk Kuyt may now go wide.

64

If Liverpool want to win this they need to find more cohesion and imagination to break through this Wolves backline.

61

Jarvis beats Carragher for the umpteenth time now to curl another delicious cross into the box but Insua gets there ahead of Henry to clear.

60

Who wants it? Both sides look as likely to win this game as each other now but who will take the spoils? Will anybody?

58

Snap shot from Kevin Doyle now as Liverpool fail to close him down but his right foot drive flashes a couple of yards over.

55

It has definitely livened up now! Decent move from Liverpool with Kuyt slipping Gerrard in but his poor first touch lets the ball run out of play but had he taken it properly he would have been in on goal.

53

Ward maruads down the left hand side and although his cross is cleared it falls to Karl Henry who strikes the half volley sweetly but Emiliano Insua gets his body in the way.

52

Riera with another chance but this one he strikes much better only to find Hahnemann making a superb diving parry to turn away the Spaniard's volley on the turn.

50

A scramble in the box results in a half chance for Riera but he slashes wide with his unfavoured right foot.

48

Liverpool have started the second half well, as they did the first, but without creating a chance just yet as Berra makes up ground on Gerrard to steal the ball away.

Second half

The second period is underway - lets hope something of interest happens in the next 45 minutes.

Half time

HALF TIME: WOLVES 0-0 LIVERPOOL. Uneventful about sums it up! Liverpool started well but Wolves have come closest through Kevin Doyle.

45

Skrtel thinks he has a chance but Jody Craddock rises to take the ball away from the Slovakian's head from Gerrard's corner.

43

Wolves should be ahead! Jarvis again making Carragher look foolish and Zubar comes in at the far post but his header is weak and straight at Reina.

42

The football has been poor from both sides since about the tenth minute and somebody needs to make a change at the break. WIll Aquilani come on for Liverpool? Maybe one of the Wolves new boys?

39

Mick McCarthy is not happy - with his own player! Maxi goes down under challenge from Henry and Zubar then kicks it out to let him have treatment only for Maxi to stand up and wander off without help. Very strange situation.

37

Liverpool advance up the field and switch it quickly to Riera but he decides to shoot from 30 yards with Gerrard well placed and Mancienne blocks.

33

Alas, a chance! Jarvis ties Carragher up in knots before curling another cross into the box and this time Doyle flicks goalwards but just wide.

30

I would love to give you a more entertaining half an hour but there has been one - proper - shot so far in this game. Not good enough.

28

Scrappy affair now with Wolves closing down the Liverpool midfield and hounding them out of possession but without doing enough themselves when they do get the ball.

24

All gone a bit uneventful here now with neither side managing to string more than two passes together - good news for Wolves though you would have to say.

20

Wolves are finally starting to make an impact on the game as Jarvis stands Carragher up before blasting beyond him to curl a cross into the box but nobody could get on the end of it.

16

Liverpool have not managed to take advantage of their fine start here yet but its still the Reds in the ascendency.

13

Wolves have started to take a small foothold in the game but Liverpool look very comfortable at the moment.

9

Liverpool still clearly on top here having flown out of the blocks and a goal looks to be coming if things don't change.

6

Wolves have Christophe Berra to thank now as Dirk Kuyt lets fly from inside the area but Berra gets across to block in the nick of time.

5

Wolves need to get going because they are being overrun at the moment by this rejuvenated Liverpool side.

2

Liverpool have started brilliantly here and Gerrard into the action early on with a dipping cross but Riera heads wide.

1

Kickoff

Peter Walton is in charge of the game tonight and he gets us underway.